It would not be the start of a new year without the annual EXHIBITORLIVE. Hosted in San Antonio for 2025, EXHIBITORLIVE is known as the tradeshow for tradeshow professionals. In many ways, it is more of a community event where the family is getting back together again than a tradeshow. Everyone knows each other, the newest products are show cased, and the community comes together to say hello despite their extremely busy season.
Super San Antonio
EXHIBITORLIVE embraced San Antonio and all the city had to offer. The opening reception party was held on Paseo del Rio, the riverwalk, outside of the convention center. It allowed the industry to have their first experience of the beautiful city. The river glistened green and blue for St. Patrick’s day, and the weather was pleasant without a hint of rain.
The next day, when the doors opened for the exhibit hall, industry professional were greeted by live music and a short welcome ceremony to the grand door opening. Offering tours and decorating the entrance hall in spirit of San Antonio, Exhibitor brought the city inside the convention center.
Booths Beaming Bright
This year the booths were bigger and better. Everyone who exhibited brought their best and were ready to showcase why clients should work with them. There was large scale monopoly offered at the AppleRock booth where an attendee could roll large dice, hurry across floor squares, and tap at a screen to collect falling cash for physical prizes. The Derse booth offered a full apothecary with oils and scents given to clients who walked through their activation, where they found the solution to the ailment a client is experiencing.
BlueHive had attendees determine their strengths through a fascinating 360 interactive environment, where one stood in a circular display with videos and questions that was both small in size and fully enrapturing. Steelhead showcased their elegance with their wall of locks, emphasizing their dedication to connections between themselves and their business partners. Exhibitus showcased their intentionality through their kitchen and glowing mirrors, attendees could interact with household appliances and displays that changed based on how activations were used. Hamilton drew from key Texan colors of deserts and sunsets while asking the audience to look beyond what traditional conventions can offer with booth that reexamined what it means to be remembered.
From the LEDs to the booth staff, everything was glowing, smiling and beautiful. EXHIBITORLIVE showcased what could be and what will be in the world of shaping dreams.
Panel Highlight
On the second to last day of the event, EXHIBITORLIVE hosted a workforce development panel with industry leaders and members of the unions speaking about development and training. Workforce development is a major concern for many in the industry, and the panel offered solutions and clarity regarding questions on training and mentorship.
Students Excited For the Future
As always, EXHIBITORLIVE’s student booth showcased the work of students ready to enter the events and exhibitions industry. The students were lively and bright ready to network with the professionals who were more than excited to meet them as well. All of the projects and students were a great look into the minds entering the industry: creative, innovative, and filled with possibility.
Associations and More
EXHIBITORLIVE is the biggest week for tradeshow professionals, and with that responsibility comes a variety of events hosted by the associations in tandem with the event itself. The Experiential Designers and Producers Association (EDPA) hosted two big events on Sunday and Tuesday night, while Women in Exhibitions (WIE) hosted their annual breakfast and networking even on Wednesday morning.
All three events were filled with not only great networking opportunities but catching up with family. New faces and old faces came together to expand the already large family and embrace change and progress fully.
See you next year in Tampa, Florida.
This story originally appeared in the Q3 2025 issue of Exhibit City News, p. 46. For original layout, visit https://issuu.com/exhibitcitynews/docs/exhibit_city_news_-_jul_aug_sept_2025/46.
